We’ve discussed how the liver handles fuel, but what about how it handles stress?
I often tell my students that “antioxidant” is one of the most abused terms in nutritional science. We tend to think of them as sponges that just soak up free radicals, but the biochemistry is far more elegant.
Take Glutathione, our “Master Antioxidant.” It doesn’t just neutralize a radical and disappear. It’s a dynamic, enzyme-driven cycle—The Redox Relay. It requires the rate-limiting enzyme Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase and a steady supply of NADPH from the Pentose Phosphate Pathway.
When we give patients “antioxidant supplements” without addressing the underlying metabolic pathways that regenerate them (like supporting the PPP or ensuring adequate sulfur-containing amino acids), we are essentially giving them a bucket to catch a leak without fixing the pipe.
Do you think we’ve over-simplified “oxidative stress” in our patient counseling? How do you explain the difference between a “supplement” and a “metabolic cofactor” to your patients?
You’ve captured the essence beautifully. Antioxidants aren’t passive sponges, they’re part of a living cycle. Glutathione’s redox relay depends on enzymes and NADPH supply, making pathway support as vital as the molecule itself.
Beautifully put! And this is exactly where the supplement industry oversimplifies, selling isolated molecules while ignoring the enzymatic infrastructure they depend on.
Spot on! the word has become a massive marketing buzzword. Supplements are like a quick fix in a bottle whereas a metabolic cofactor lets the body synthesize and recycles its own internal defense system like glutathione, a cofactor just supports a pathway ensuring that the machinery of our body has fuel, enzymes and tools to do its job continuously.
